Answering a question from Skegness MP Matt Warman, the Secretary of State said: “All NHS facilities in my honourable friend’s constituency and across the country can be confident that the NHS has a bright future.

“In fact, if we are to deliver the NHS plan, more rural and remote places are precisely where we must pay most attention to keeping people healthy and well in their homes.

“That is why not only community hospitals, but GP surgeries and all the places upon which rural communities depend are a vital part of the NHS’s future.”

Speaking after the debate on NHS funding, Mr Warman said: “The forthcoming NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan will see Lincolnshire services reformed to deliver better outcomes for patients, under plans made by doctors and NHS professionals.

“I am pleased that Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that we can all be confident about the future of health services and has agreed that the Government must pay more attention to the NHS in rural areas such as Lincolnshire.”